Across the United States, a few major metropolitan areas have become some of the most unaffordable places to live worldwide. For one reason or another, the general cost of living in these urban centers becomes more expensive every day. In some cases, people looking to live the city life shell out a few thousand dollars in rent. That said, here are the top five most expensive U.S. cities to live in.
5) Washington, District of Columbia
Several factors contribute to the high cost of living in the United States Capital. According to WTOP News, the city is 53% more expensive to live in than the national average. Over 670,000 people live in Washington, D.C., and rent prices are 2.5 times the national average.
Additionally, as the country’s political center, the area attracts wealthy lobbying firms, think tanks, executives, and government officials. And the city’s status as a global tourist attraction also contributes to its hefty cost of living.
4) Brooklyn, New York
As the largest and most populous of New York City’s five boroughs, Brooklyn has become overwhelmingly unaffordable. According to RentCafe, the average monthly rent in Brooklyn is a whopping $3,250 for a 650-square-foot apartment. According to the Census Bureau, as of July 2022, nearly 2.6 million people lived in the borough. It’s one of the most densely-populated cities in the country, with over 39,000 people per square mile in 2020.
3) San Francisco, California
As the home of Silicon Valley, San Francisco, California, has become a staggeringly expensive city to live in. According to RedFin, the average house in the Bay Area costs a painful $1.4 million. Beyond the unaffordable real estate prices, groceries and utilities can cost up to 40% more than the national average. Statista reports a household of four needs a collective income of nearly $130,000 after taxes to make ends meet.
2) Honolulu, Hawaii
An island over 2,000 miles from the mainland, living in Honolulu costs well over the national average. The Grassroots Institute of Hawaii, a non-profit think tank focused on economic policy, says three factors significantly affect living costs. Firstly, the state has some of the highest tax rates in the nation. They said Hawaii had the highest tax revenue per capita in the United States in 2020.
Additionally, stringent zoning regulations on the island make housing even more unaffordable. And lastly, the Jones Act makes shipping goods from California to Honolulu cost three times more than to Australia. The legislation is a large part of why groceries on the island cost over 150% more than the national average.
1) Manhattan, New York
New York City’s borough of Manhattan is the most expensive city to live in in the U.S. About 1.6 million people call the island, also known as New York County, New York, home. NYC is the most densely populated city in the country, with over 74,000 residents per square mile. Although the average home price costs slightly less than San Francisco at just under $1.3 million. However, Statista reports the cost of living is an eye-watering 237% higher than the national average.
